"Some truly marvellous staff struggling with capacity issues"

I went to A&E on the advice from staff at 111. I arrived around 8.00 am on a Sunday morning. As I have an underlying heart condition I was triaged quite quickly, and was told that the doctors were just starting their shift so it shouldn't be too long.

This story is not one where I plan to complain about the service. I want to offer suggestions as to how to help really stretched staff with supportive advice to help improve the system. 

By 12 pm there had been no contact and no update, however what I realised was that there had perhaps been greater emergencies which had taken priority and clearly this pushed me and others further down the list. I understand this, and I can work this out. Unfortunately there are some others who do not realise this is the case and so become frustrated, worried, irritable and mouthy when they feel they have been waiting a long time with no update. I feel that this could be improved if there was communication to indicate this, not from a busy nurse who is trying their best to get on with their job but someone who can manage, reassure and be present to organise the logistics.

I eventually was moved through to the Emergency Department, where I sat for another hour before speaking to anyone. Again, I was slightly anxious but understood the staff were busy with some very difficult patients and I was very aware with the comings and goings of security guards and prison officers that there was a lot going on.

The doctors were extremely thorough with my investigations and I felt very well looked after, medically. I was moved from the bays to the chairs whilst waiting for the blood tests and was quite alarmed that this was where the observations would take place and also where, without any privacy, the doctor would discuss those results with me. I then noticed that this was the chaired area and clearly this was an overspill area for a ridiculously overcapacity emergency area.

The doctor then told me that the results had ruled out some issues, however they were disappointed that they could not clearly give me an answer and so they wanted me to stay in for further investigations. 

Again, I knew I was safe and being looked after but I then remained in the chaired area until 1.30 am. During that time, I witnessed staff having to manage abusive patients, threatening doctors and nurses and using offensive language in front of everyone. Security guards came and went to support medical staff with rowdy patients. This is ridiculous that staff have to put up with these kind of behaviours.

People around me were becoming increasingly frustrated as there was no information to update the situation for them. Again, this surely could be eased with a ward clerk or manager communicating with people to give clarity and reassurance. 

I was offered a trolley to put my head down on at 1.30 am by a kindly nurse who said that I was next on the list for a bed. There were no pillows but the nurse rolled up a blanket for me and I was able to have a rest for a couple of hours. I was given a bed at 2.55 am in the Clinical Assessment Unit.

I have nothing but praise for every member of staff in that unit. I watched professional, polite, kindly staff manage elderly dementia patients who were trying to run away. I listened as rude and obnoxious people arrived to be told they may have a 2 to 4 hour wait. They barked at staff and stormed off. 

The staff were clearly exceptionally busy but no-one complained. I was to be discharged after seeing the cardiologist but had to wait in another chaired area for around an hour and a half.

At one point I heard that in a 16-bed area they had 47 patients. Once again it was clear to see and hear the patients' frustrations. I tried to reassure by pointing out that they were safe and that the nursing staff were keeping an eye on them but clearly for some this was just not good enough.

I really hope that something can be done to ease the capacity issues, to allow some truly marvellous staff the right to carry out their highly skilled jobs in a safe, abuse-free environment.